Power press



Feb. 12, 192

c. KERR POWER PRESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Au Feb. 12, 1929. 1,702,085

c. KERR POWER PRESS Filed Au 10, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 12, 1929.

c. KERR POWERPRESS Filed Aug; 10, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 WZZ/a 65565 Feb. 12, 1929. 1,702,085

c. KERR POWER PRESS Feb. 12, 1929 C- KERR POWER PRESS Filed Aug. 10, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 O O O an: it:

' Filed Aug. 10, 1925 fife/Z5012" 02472 1 Feb. 12, 1929.

7V37Z66565J f5. W I

Patented F 12,

" UNETEQ STATES cnnnnns KERR, or omoneo, ILLINOIS.

POWER PRESS.

Application filed August 10, 1925. Serial No. 49,443.

My invention relates to power presses, designed to compress fluid yielding substances and to extract the fluid therefrom, and the main object of my invention is the provision of an improved machine of this character which will be automatic and continuous in operation, and which will embody certain desired features of simplicity, eiliciency and convenience.

One of the important objects of my invention is the provision of a power press having acontinuous conveyor for receiving the liquid yielding material, for conveying the material during the pressing operations and for discharging the residue after the pressing operations. Further objects are to provide means for forming the conveyor into a trough-like carrier just prior to the feeding thereon of thematerial to be pressed, to provide means for closing the trough-like formation during the pressing operations, and to provide means for spraying water or other suitable solvent on the material during the pressing ope ations.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figs. 1 and 2 represent side elevat-ional views of my improved machine, the view shown. in Fig. 1 representing the front p01 tion of the machine while that shown in Fig. 2 represents the rear portion thereof;

3 is atop plan view of the machine;

Fig. at a cross section taken approximately on the line K t of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. (3 shows another cross section taken approximately on. the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 represents avertical sectional view, taken centrally and longitudinally of the machine on the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal section through the former device and the ejector device, along with associated parts, this view being taken approximately on the line 8 -8 of Fig 3; i j Fig. 9 is a detail view of the means for levelling material in the conveyor, this view being taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectiontaken on the line 1O 1O of F ig. 8. I i V With more particular reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment'of my improved machine, it will be seenthat I provide a skeleton frame made of angle bars and consisting of parallelly arranged bars.1l11, which are connected by the various devices and parts hereinafter to be described and which are supported upon suitably disposed leg members 12. Arranged upon the forward portion of the machine is a hopper 18 (Figs. 1 and 3) which'is supported upon the top bars 1111 by. means of a suitable hopper supporting frame 14. Associated with the hopper and hopper supporting'frame at the forward end thereof is'areinforcing member 15, and at the rear end theerof, a bearing bracket 16; itbeing observed. that the hopper is supported in such manner that its delivery opening 17 extends longitudinally of the machine and centrally thereof. Suitably associated with the hopper delivery opening 17 is a material feed screw 18 whose axis is suitably journalled at one end in the hopper supporting frame and reinforcing member and at the other end in the hopper supporting frame and bearing bracket 16.

As will be understood from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there are operatively arranged upon the frame work, rearwardly of the hopper, two pairs or sets of pressing units, which are denoted in general by the reference numerals 192O and 2122, it be 'ing observed in this connection that the pressing units 19 and 21 constitute top units since they are arranged over the respective cooperating units 20 and 22. V p

inasmuch as the top pressing units 19 and .21 are substantially alike in their construction, a detailed description of one will, it is thought, suifice for both. The top pressing unit 21 (see Figs. 2,6 and 7) comprises two shafts 23--23 whose opposite ends are journalled in bearingblocks 24islidably mounted in invertedtJ-shaped guide frames 25 which are boltedupon and rise from the top bars 11-11. Also slidab-ly mounted in the guide frame 25 are pressureblocks 26 into which are threaded the ends of adjustmentscrews 27 operatively held in bosses 28 atthe tops of the guide frames. Between the pressure blocks 26 and bearing blocks 24:: are interposed spiral springs 29. Surrounding and V sprocket chains 32 upon which are secured.

connecting the shafts 23 23 are a plurality of bearing bridges Q; and secured upon these shafts in positi'o'ns between the bearing bridgeSBO vare sprocket wheels 31. Connecting the sprocket wheels'3l of one shaft with the sprocket wheels 31 of the othershaft are cross strips 33. The sprocket wheels, sprocket during pressing action.

chains and cross strips'thus arranged, com- .prlse a continuous press ng element which is referredtoin general by the reference numeral 34. The continuous pressing element 3 1 travels around the bearing bridges 30 and is suitably and'effectively supported thereby From what has been saidit will bejobvious that the top pressing unit 2l may be adjusted relatively to the bottom pressing unit 22. 5

The rear shaft 23 of the pressing unit 21 constitutes, lngthe present construction, the

main driving shaft for themachineythe sa ine being provided witha large driving gear 35 which meshes with punch 36 on the drlvlng curing bolts 42 which areeinployed for con- 7 'necting the bed'plate with the platform. Provision is thus made for adj'usting'the position i of the motor in order suitably to compensate for the up-and-down ad ustment of the pres 7 ing unit2 1;:but it will be understood any suitable and ad'u stable drivin means ma if iitis journalled in bearings 41-? which are ad ustably mounted upon the. side hars'td, the;

able 'PIIQVISIQH is thusfi'nade for adjustir shaft tttoward and-away from the shat desired be employed between themotor shaft 37 and'the pressing unit dr ving shaft 23.

The bottom pressingnnit 22ijs composed of two shafts and i the shaft 43 be ng our-' 'nalled in bearings lfi seeuredup'on' side bars -;et6 suitably provided for the purpose between adjacent supporting legs 12. The other shaft means of adjustment consisting jinprovidir 4 said bar Wlhl'i elongated slots 18jforthe su justment of the securing he] andmeans for effecting this ad ustment 1S provided in the "form of adjusting screws which are suitably tapped through leg memf bers 12 and reinforcing'members J51 thereon, the free extremities of these adjusting screws f i beingthrea'ded' into extensions'52of'the"bear ings 4:7; This bottom pressingunit' 22"is" pro vid'ed with a pressing element 53 which is composedof sprocket gears, sprocket chains and cross strips, all precisely like the pressing element 3 1 of the top pressing unit. For the suitable backing of the upper run ofthe contlnuouspressmg element 53 of'the bottom pressing unit 22, I provide bearing bridges 54L which are supported-upon cross bars 55, there being adjusting screws 56 threaded through the side bars 4:6 and bosses 57 thereon for the support of the cross bars 55. Arranged in-the pressing unit 22 just below the bearing bridges 5% is a catch basin 58 for re ceiving the liquids extractedfromthe materials drawn between the continuous pressing element 34; of the top'pressing unit and the continuous pressing element 53 of thebottom '7 pressing unit; The pressing units 19 and 20 areconstructed substantially like the pressing units 21 and 22. The'top pressingunitlt) has a continuous pressing element 59 which cooperates with a similar presslng element 60 upon the bottom pressing u'nit 20. A catch basin 61 is alsoprovided within thebottom pressing unit 20 to receive the" liquids extracted from the materials drawn between the pressing elements 59 and 60.

Therear or drivingshaft 62 of the top pressing unit 19*is operated from the main driving shaft 23 by means of a sprocket chain 63'which' connects a sprocket gear 64upon said main shaft 23 with a sprocket gear 65 upon the shaft 62. The main driving shaft 23" also carries a gear 66 which meshes with a 7 gear 67 upon the shaft 43 of thepressing unit 22, whereby the continuous pressing element 53 is operated. In a similar manner the rear shafts of the top and bottom pres-slug un ts 19 and'20 are provided with meshed gears 68 and 69,'whereby the bottom pressing unit is operated. In the present exemplification, the

feed sci'ewi18is' driven from the rear shaft 62 of the top';press1ng @1111} 19. ,To'this en d,-the shaft'62 carries a sprocket gear. 70 .with which is engaged a sprocket chain 71 extendingto sprocket gear 72 arranged on stud shaft 73 suitably inountedupon the frame work and in bearing bracket 16 upon the hopper. @Stud shaft 73 carries gear 74f which is engaged with worm 75 carriedrby the ;,a';1s of the screw 18."-;The material delivering screw 18 1s thus operated 1n con unction wlth the operation of the two pairs of pressing units. 7

For conveying the-liquid yielding material I provide a continuous or endless conveyor 76' which is mounted to travel longitudinally of theinachineand to he drawn successively be" tweenthe two pairsof pressing units 19-20 and 21-122. To this" end the continuous con veyor 76is passed between the continuous,

pressing elements 59 and 60,0f the pressing units 19-1-20iand then between the continuous f pressing elements 34 and 53 of the pressing units 21 22 and thence it'is returned undthebottompressing units 22and 20 and sub- V {sequently is'trained over idler pulleys"?! and 78 to the top of the machine at the front'ther'eof (Figs. '1 fromwhich position it passes underneath the feed screw 18 where it receives the material to be pressed.

According to an important feature of my invention, the conveyor 76, consisting oi" canvas or other suitable material, is, prior to receiving its lading, made trough-like in shape by means of a former device located forwardly ol the hopper l3. 'l'his'i'ornier device, as best illustrated in Figs. 1, land 8, comprises a conveyor slideway 79 having insloping sides 80, the said slideway 79 narrowing toward the rear of the machine while the insloping sides progressively increase in height. Depending from a suitable support 81 arranged upon the top bars l1ll, is the former device 82 which like the slideway 79 narrows in a direction towards the rear of a machine and which has insloping sides 83 in substantial agreement with the insloping sides 80, it ljieing'observed from an inspection of Fig. 4 that these parts are so arranged that the forn'ier proper 82 occupies a position within the former casing 79 and insloping sides 80..

Continuous conveyor 76' in being drawn through the former, thus constructed, is made trough-like in shape, having insloping sides 84 adapted to retain the material to be pressed. As the conveyor, with its insloping sides Set advances towards the pressing units 5900 it is met by a continuous closure band 85 which is t'ained around the pressing unit- 59 and also around an idler pulley 86,-in such manner as to travel in the direction of the conveyor and to contact with the insloping sides 84 thereof forcing the same downwardly upon the conveyed material and closing the interstice or open space between the confronting edges of the insloping conveyor sides 84. In this manner the material in the conveyor is completely covered or enveloped so that it cannot escape during the pressing operations. In a similar manner a continuous closure belt 8'? is arranged around the top pressing unit 21 and around apulley 88, so that when the conveyor is drawn between the pressing ele ments 8st and or the pressing units 21 and 22 the conveyor material will again be enclosed against escape during the pressing operation. In Figs. 1 and 2 it will be observed that the idler pulleys and 88 are mounted ll] suit able bearing blocks 89 adyus ably mounted upon the supporting frame and adapted to be adjusted by means of adjusting screws 90.

Suitably arranged upon leg supported rails 91. is a. combinationejector and spreader 92 which formed.- as best shown in Figs. l and 8 so as to serve as a scraper lorscraping oii the material adhering to the conveyor 76 and further to spread out and flatten the insloping sides 84 of the conveyor, preparatory to the travel of: the conveyor over the idler pulley 78. Just prior to the passing of the conveyor over said idler pulley 78, the conveyor is further operated on by a rotary brush held upon brackets 9 l located on 111g operations.

the screw 18. @Under this arrangement the conveyor has the residue removed therefroni'by the ejector device 92 and is also, by means oi? such ejector :device, flattened out and subserpiently cleaned by the rotary brush prior to passing over the idler pulley 78.

For assisting in the extraction of the liquid from the liquid yieldin materials during the pressing operations, I may spray any suitable liquid upon the material as it is carried within the conveyor and may also spray suitable liquid or solvent upon the conveyor itself as it is drawn between the two pairs of pressing units. For this purpose I provide a supply pipe 101 which may be brought from any suitable source otllquid supply. The lower ea d of this pipe is provided with an elongated nozzle 102" which is positioned to deliver liquid upon the material within the conveyor as 1L moves between the top pressingunit- 19 and top pressing unit 21. Leading from the supply pipe 101 are oppositely directed branch pipes l03103 which communicate with pipes 10l-104e extending along opposite sides of the conveyors path, just below the pressing unit 19. Also the branch pipes 103-l0-3 communicate with rearwardly extending pipes 105-405 which are located on opposite sides of the conveyors path just below the top pressing unit 21. The pipes 1Ol-1O and 105-105 are suitably apertured at 106 in order that the liquid may be sprayed upon the conveyor during the press- Provision is thus made for introdu'eing liquid into the conveyor as the latter moves along and also for spraying the conveyor during the pressing operation. Supply pipe 101 is suppliedwith a control valve 107, while the branch pipes 103103 are provided with control valves 108.

ld hile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying niy inventioninto effect, this is capable ol variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and inedilcations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power press, a driven shaft carrying sprocket wheels; a second shalt carrying sprocket wheels; endless chains connecting the sprocket wheels of said shafts and carrying cross strips; and bearing bridges wheel-means; cross strips connecting said endless driving means; and bearing bridges for. said cross strips mounted upon and conneetlng said shaftsto allow relative ad ustment thereof, saidbearin flbridges being are ranged on opposlte'sides' or said wheel means 7 zbstantially as described. 7

3. A power press including upperand low? er :pressing units each. consisting of a pair of shaftsfwith-wheel ineans carrying end less pressinglneans, the upper pressing unit being 0t less extent than the lower unit to V exert pressure on the upper run ofthe loiver unithetween the points of support afforded by its Wheel means; bearing'bridges arranged on and connecting the shafts oft-he upper unit-for supporting the endless press- ;ingu'nean's of that unitguand bearing bridges for the upper run of the;'endless pressing means of thelowerunit arranged'ior adjUStl11l1t tO\V3ICl and away from the heal, ing bridges or the first unit.

, 4., A power press including upper and low,

'er-pressing units, each consisting of a' pair of shaftswith wheelineans carrying end-;

less pressing means; the upper pressing unit being of less extent than the lower unit to exert pressure on the upper run ofthe lower unit between the points ofsupport afiorded by its wheel n1eans;'bearing bridges arranged on and connectingthe shafts or" the upper unit for supporting the endless pressing means of that unit; and bearing bridges for the upper run of the endless-pressingi neans oi thelowerlunit, cross bars supp-orting'said bridges and upwardly extending-ad ustlng screws impinging against said cross bars for a'dgusting the bridges w th relation to th 9 upper element, substantlally as described. 7 V

p 5. In a device oi the class described, an endless belt conveyor means for feeding rnaterialupon said conveyor and a conveyor shaper comprising an outer casing having a bottom and side walls and a former arranged within the casing, also having a bottom and side walls spaced from the corresponding portion of the casing to receive the conveyor,

the botlioinsoi said casing and former being tapered towarc the material feedlng ineansand the side walls thereof sloping upi wardly and inwardlyand progressively 1ncreasing in height toward the material feed ing means,substantially as described. I

7 g in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. 

